Ehran Dahr
"You obey your commanding officer, follow him or her into hazardous environments, hostile territory, hell itself; you agree to that when you take the oath and put on the uniform. Well, I'd do that for Captain Dahr even if I wasn't Starfleet." : —James Lear, BM Ehran Cyria Dahr, Daughter of the Tenth House of Betazed and Heir to the Third Sacred Tome of Khrysaros, is a Starfleet flag officer in the 17th Special Operations Wing, and captain of the [[USS Outrider|USS Outrider]]. She also serves the Federation as an exoarchaeologist specializing in ethnology, and utilizes her unique abilities as a consul for the Diplomatic Corps. Dahr is widely known as an officer more than willing to take on the most dangerous (and often clandestine) of missions, regarded as a quiet sort of daredevil despite the fact that her methodology often displays meticulous planning and rigid self-control. A laudable mission success rate and an atypical aversion to any sort of commendation has all but ensured she receives them; Dahr has enjoyed a precipitated rise in rank and near-autonomous command of her squadron and ship. While Dahr possesses a vast array of interests, her primary concern remains the welfare of her crew, and the good of the Federation and its people. Biographical Overview Childhood Ehran was born on Betazed in 2377, in a small community along the Emrin River in Noaami, County Cissara. Her mother is former Peace Keeper Cyriannala Dahr, Holder of the Third Sacred Tome of Khrysaros and Ambassador of the United Federation of Planets, and her father is Lieutenant Commander Bras Dahr, a retired Starfleet officer currently working as a consultant with the San Francisco Police Department. Despite her family's station, Ehran endured a difficult childhood. In fact, the Dahrs' troubles began before Ehran was even born; four months into the pregnancy, both mother and child found living in the capital city had become incredibly unsettling. Ehran projected a constant state of nervousness and often fear, and seemed to seldom sleep. During Cyriannala's third trimester, Ehran grew ill, and nearly died in the womb. The Dahrs decided at this time that it would be best to leave their estate in Rixx. They moved to Liir Bolar, a sparsely populated agricultural community in Noaami. Ehran calmed, and she was born not long thereafter, premature, but healthy. Peace did not last; Ehran began exhibiting pronounced telepathic abilities at eight months old, at least a decade earlier than most Betazoids. Fearing for their daughter's mental health but unwilling to institutionalize her, the Dahrs moved again, this time settling in a remote location within the Loneel Mountains. They took up residence in one of the emergency shelters built in the wake of the Dominion invasion, their first priority safeguarding Ehran's solitude. She was not allowed to spend any time with children, as preadolescents are generally unable to temper their thoughts and emotions. Similarly, adults frightened her because, no matter how skilled they proved in shielding their minds, she was still able to sense the power they possessed, and could often tap into their emotions with little effort. The only adult Ehran tolerated besides her parents was an elder Vulcan named K'Vaak. K'Vaak and Bras had met many years previous, but how and why he had come to be on Betazed is still unknown. As a favor to her father, he agreed to help cultivate Ehran's psychosuppressive abilities, and teach her special meditative techniques. He remained with the Dahrs for fifteen months, until recalled by the Vulcan High Command. Despite evidence to the contrary, Ehran maintains that K'Vaak's abrupt departure did not grieve her. This is either the only intentional untruth that Ehran has ever been known to relate, or confirmation that K'Vaak's techniques were in some way successful. As they were effectively isolated, Ehran's parents undertook her education; her early childhood was almost entirely comprised of intense physical training, fine arts and intellectual theory, and meditative studies. Her mother taught her dance and music, while her father taught her how to read and draw. Bras also introduced her to martial arts, specifically the Klingon discipline mok'bara. While these activities all began as diversionary tactics, a way to keep her mind and body engaged but calm, in the process, Ehran's parents learned that she was more gifted than they could have ever imagined. By age six, she had surpassed her mother's abilities with the piano, Bajoran lute, and Ressikan flute, and began teaching herself to play the violin. Additionally, she took well to analytical thought; by age eight, Ehran's favorite pastimes were covering the walls of her makeshift bedroom with rudimentary geometry theorems and exploring game theory with her engineer father. Despite the fact that she refused to speak with words until she was nine, when she did begin to vocalize, the Dahrs realized that she had learned basic Vulcan from sharing thoughts with K'Vaak, and she had also taught herself the fundamentals of human English and Andorii simply by reading books. As she neared adolescence, however, Ehran had not yet gained adequate control over her abilities. Though she devoured knowledge, spent six or more hours a day meditating, she grew ever more restless and was frequently violent; she could find no peace, because she said she could "feel Cyndriel (Betazed) humming." The Dahrs took a gamble and moved off-planet, to Darona (Beta Veldonna VI). They feared being in proximity to the psychiatric prison operating there would do more harm than good, but Ehran seemed more at peace on the colony planet than she had ever been in her life. Three years on Darona, one spent mostly in the outskirts of the capital city of Jarkana, and the Dahrs were cautiously optimistic, confident that Ehran was strong enough to begin the arduous task of reacclimatizing herself to a larger, more diverse society. In 2390, Dahr's mother agreed to serve as an envoy for the Federation so that the family could move to Earth. Though the Dahrs would make their final home in San Francisco, it was assumed that, upon learning how to function within a community, Ehran would return to Betazed and take her place in the House, perhaps become a Peace Keeper, and maybe one day serve on the Council. However, her alienation as a child, coupled with her father's tales of his time with the Starfleet, had piqued her interest in space travel and exploration. During the celebration of her fifteenth birthday, Dahr announced her intentions to apply to the Academy and become a Starfleet officer. In an attempt to dissuade her from this course of action, her mother brought her to the Starfleet hospital in the Presidio. Cyriannala had hoped that seeing the physical and mental effects of service with Starfleet would frighten the desire out of her daughter. On the contrary, spending time with the men and women she met actually strengthened Ehran's resolve. After much debate, she was allowed to apply for the Academy in the summer of 2392. Starfleet Academy Dahr very nearly failed the entrance exam for the Preparatory Program. While her intellect and reasoning skills thoroughly impressed her proctors, her erratic performance during interpersonal evaluations was a cause for concern. Further, when constructing the parameters of her psych test, it was determined that Dahr's greatest fear was the one requirement all Starfleet personnel must endure: cohabitation. Dahr was, and, in truth, still is, terrified of spending extended periods of time among individuals in a number that could tax her suppression techniques and engender violence or madness. The Entrance Board was resigned to reject her application until one professor stressed the fact that, unlike many applicants, Dahr is required to confront her greatest fear on a daily basis. Simply by choosing to apply to the Academy, fully aware of what would be required of her as a cadet and then an officer, meant that Dahr had passed the psych test before it could even be given. The professor then personally advocated her admission to the Academy, claiming to know Dahr and her potential well. Dahr would later identify this professor as K'Vaak, her former mentor. Astonishing success in academics coupled with varying degrees of success in interpersonal relationships would become a common theme in all her days at the Academy. Her first year was particularly grueling; having been homeschooled, Dahr was not accustomed to a traditional classroom environment, and her inability to relate to her fellow cadets and her ignorance of the subtleties of companionship left her largely isolated. Both her sleep and her study periods were often disturbed by the overwhelming emotions of those around her. She also felt irrationally obligated to achieve more than was expected of her as a way of vindicating her decision to her mother, and validating K'Vaak's advocacy. As the Academy expects a great deal from its cadets, Dahr soon found herself physically and emotionally exhausted. She was often ill, and her performance began to suffer. Dahr credits the completion of her first year to the friendship and support of her classmate, Tobias Munroe. Her second year threatened to be as chaotic as the first, until Munroe persuaded her to seek K'Vaak's counsel. K'Vaak recommended that Dahr spread her course load over five years, convincing her that unique abilities often imbue one with unique limitations, and that determining to overcome these limitations, no matter how long it took, was a sign of strength. The Academy agreed, and the effect was nearly instantaneous: both Dahr's health and performance improved dramatically. She became more calm and confident, and even began to socialize with her classmates. The implementation of a five-year plan proved doubly beneficial for Dahr; not until the second semester of her sophomore year did she take her first exoarchaeology course. She was instantly attracted to the idea of a discipline which allowed her to understand species and cultures without relying on the difficult and often painful task of personal interchange. At the same time, surprisingly, given her nature, Dahr had no interest in a career in science or academia. She felt the pressure to declare a major and define her future, but even after discussing the matter with Munroe and K'Vaak, she found herself unwilling to make any sort of commitment. K'Vaak did not hesitate to decide for her; he declared her major in exoarchaeology on her behalf, but also applied her to tactical training in the command track. As he seemed to understand and trust her abilities more than she, Dahr did not argue. During her third year, Dahr spent six months aboard the [[USS Oberon|USS Oberon]] NCC-81902-D, an Intrepid-class research vessel. The crew of the Oberon had been tasked with excavating a temple complex on Planet 384-XQB of the Tau System in the Arucanis Arm of the Regulus Sector Block. Her primary duty was to serve as a research and dig assistant, but she also made herself useful by helping to translate the ancient pictographs they found in the complex. The tour was originally meant to last eight weeks, but complications with the local population frequently stalled the dig's progress. Eventually, Dahr struck up a rapport with many of the local children, using the pictographs in a language game to help fill in the gaps in their translations—a strategy that inspired harmony between the locals and the Oberon's crew, which allowed the dig team to complete the excavation without further incident, and earned Dahr her first James T. Kirk Commendation for Original Thinking. Dahr seemed to flourish in her fourth year. She excelled in every one of her classes, even laying the groundwork for her dissertation six months ahead of schedule, and became an invaluable member of her fencing and anbo-jyutsu squads. She had her choice of training assignments, and many of her classmates requested she serve as their Chief Tactical or Mission Ops during their final simulation exams. Though ultimately as active as she was in her first year, she proved better equipped to handle the stress involved. This changed at the advent of her classmates' graduation, however. Without the support of her best friend, and missing the comfort of familiarity with her classmates, Dahr became sullen and withdrawn. She began her final year at the Academy without enthusiasm, her performance during the first few weeks decidedly lackluster. Before she could cause irreparable damage to her grades, K'Vaak again intervened; he selected her to accompany him and a number of his brightest students to Vulcan as part of a security detail for a science symposium. Upon their arrival, the team was informed that an important delegate scheduled to speak at the symposium had gone missing. K'Vaak and the cadets were among a number of teams charged with finding and returning her safely. During the search, they intercepted a rogue signal of unknown origin, which they tracked to a cave occupied by self-professed Vulcan pilgrims. Though the others seemed satisfied that they knew nothing of the missing delegate, they were not as well-versed in Vulcan social protocol as Dahr; in observing the Vulcans' behavior during the exchange, she came to believe that they were actually Romulan. Dahr convinced the others that, even if the delegate was not in the cave, they could not afford to ignore the potential threat of Romulans on Vulcan. K'Vaak agreed, and was willing to entertain suggestions on how to proceed. Dahr recommended that she allow herself to be captured. Once inside the cave, she could relay the situation to K'Vaak telepathically, and then keep the Romulans preoccupied while one of the cadets hijacked the signal and sent for reinforcements. The others agreed, and everything went according to plan. Dahr provoked the Romulans into revealing themselves, and she was incarcerated inside the cave with the missing delegate. Not long after she sent a message to K'Vaak, Dahr's captors released her and the delegate and led them outside, where K'Vaak revealed that the mission had been a test. The Romulans were actually well-rehearsed Vulcans, and the delegate, a willing participant. The cadets were the first team in years to successfully affect a rescue scenario without theoretical loss of life. On returning to Earth, K'Vaak informed Dahr that, even though she had not been enrolled in his Special Tactics class, he felt her performance on Vulcan warranted the credits. His only concern was how easily Dahr had agreed to risk her life during the mission. Dahr maintained that if covertness had not been their directive, the Romulans would have killed the team as soon as they began asking questions about the delegate. Further, she had noticed the Romulans had responded to them as a unit; there was no one in charge among them at the time, and they would not have killed her without permission. Even if they had, then at least the team would have known they were Romulans, and been able to act accordingly. Satisfied with her logic, K'Vaak recommended her for her second James T. Kirk Commendation, which was granted, along with a Watters Ribbon of Valor for her role in the rescue mission test scenario. Properly sobered by her time on Vulcan, Dahr redoubled her academic efforts, receiving perfect scores in every course she took, and earning the respect of her professors and fellow cadets. She even served as an academic aide in Ethnology and Astral Anthropology, and an assistant instructor in Pistol Marksmanship. She graduated with honors in 2397 and was awarded a Premier Distinction degree in exoarchaeology. Early Career The USS ''Oberon'' Immediately after her commissioning, Dahr was assigned to the Starfleet Exploratory Division. She found herself stationed again aboard the USS Oberon, at the request of her new captain, Commander Par Yusool, who had been First Officer during Dahr's field tour, and Chief Science Officer Lhujiaii, Dahr's academic advisor. Yusool was especially pleased to learn that, in addition to her archaeological research degree, she was also a qualified Tactical Officer; after only two months, he made Dahr Chief of Security. The Oberon was deployed on a 24-month tour of the Hromi Cluster. During this time, Dahr was responsible for duty rotations, training exercises, and personnel reports. She worked closely with the Chief Tactical Officer to coordinate away team schedules, tactics, and provisions, and in her off hours she translated and interpreted text for the research team. Dahr also become a welcomed intermediary of sorts between the science officers and the captain and his tactical officers; because of her understanding of both positions, more than once she was able to diffuse a tense situation and keep a mission on track. First Combat In 2399, the crew of the Oberon was camped on a potential colony planetoid in the Gamma Corvi Sigma System, investigating surface spatial anomalies. Dahr's security team was on a routine patrol when it was ambushed by Klingon forces. Her after action report claimed that the team was "overwhelmed, in number and by consideration; she felt nothing but hate from the fore, and fear from about." The young ensign kept her wits, however, rallying her security team and holding the Klingons at bay until reinforcements could arrive from camp. The Klingons were soundly defeated with no loss of Starfleet life, and very few injuries. It was the first of many opportunities Dahr would have to prove herself as a soldier and an officer. Advanced Tactical Training Impressed by her fortitude and work ethic, Commander Yusool recommended her for the Advanced Tactical Training course. Upon completion of her tour with the Oberon, Dahr returned to Earth and spent the next six months at Starfleet Academy. The ATT course is arduous, and challenged Dahr both physically and mentally. She had learned the value of perseverance, however, and experience showed; her team won two of the three final scenario tests, and she graduated tied first in her class. After completing the course, she was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade and reassigned as a Junior Bridge Officer aboard the USS Starstriker. The ''Starstriker'' The [[USS Starstriker|USS Starstriker]] NCC-91849 is an Akira-class Escort which had been dedicated to patrolling and reconnoitering the Alpha Quadrant, specifically Beta Ursae and the Orellius Sector Blocks. Dahr was initially assigned to the Mission Ops station, giving her ample opportunity to begin her advanced studies. She applied for Starfleet Command School, and would spend as many hours during the next two years completing her correspondence courses as fulfilling her duties on the bridge. The Epsilon Columbae Campaign Space Engagement In 2402, en route to explore the Rolor Nebula, the Starstriker stumbled on a sizable Dominion vanguard hidden in the thermosphere of a gas giant in the Toron System. Though caught by surprise, the Starstriker was able to send out a distress call before Jem'Hadar attack ships opened fire. In the initial bombardment, the Starstriker's transceiver array was disabled and one nacelle was severely damaged, her fighter complement was destroyed, and four officers and ten crewmen, including the Chief Tactical Officer, were killed. Dahr took control of Tactical as the Starstriker returned fire, crippling a pair of her attackers before descending into the atmosphere in a similar attempt to evade detection. Though this worked as well for the Starstriker as it had for the Dominion ships, the Escort was now, in effect, trapped behind enemy lines without warp capabilities. Dahr suggested they gamble on a planetary slingshot maneuver to fling them past the blockade and into the Rolor Nebula at near-warp speeds. Three attack ships locked onto the Starstriker, however, and managed to stay within visual range as she shot past the bulk of the Dominion vanguard. The Starstriker took a barrage which damaged her hull and decompressed Deck 3, killing over a third of the crew and disabling the primary shield generators. Just as her remaining crew began to lose hope they could do anything more than make a stand and go down fighting, ten Starfleet ships dropped out of warp engaging the Dominion fleet, allowing the Starstriker to limp into the Rolor Nebula. Dahr was officially promoted to Chief Tactical Officer, and worked with engineering to assess and triage the ship's damage. As soon as the Starstriker was able to bring the shield generators back online, she returned to the battle still raging in the Toron System. Space above the gas giant was littered with the debris of destroyed vessels, nearly as many Starfleet as Dominion. Despite her damage, the Starstriker entered the fray. A short time later, all that remained was one retreating Jem'Hadar battle cruiser and three Starfleet ships. The Starfleet ships—the Demas Craw, the Tsingtao, and the Starstriker—followed the battle cruiser back into the Rolor Nebula. In the ensuing engagement, the Tsingtao was destroyed before the Starfleet ships could incapacitate the cruiser. The Starstriker managed to intercept the cruiser's final transmission warning a nearby Dominion stronghold of the vanguard's defeat. Evidently, the Dominion had subjugated a colony on the planet designated Epsilon Columbae V456-Eta, in the Kappa Orionis Tau 414 System of the Rolor Nebula, and established a forward operating base. The Dominion had come across a number of Starfleet security codes, and intended to use them to strike at key targets in Beta Ursae, including Deep Space 9. The remaining ships had a decision to make: they could leave the Nebula immediately to contact Starfleet Command and potentially allow the Dominion to escape with the security codes, or investigate the Dominion claims and risk capture or destruction. For Dahr, it seemed no decision, at all; she volunteered to beam planetside to try to infiltrate the compound while the ships fled to safety to contact Command. She was not alone. In total, twenty crewmen from the Starstriker and sixteen from the Demas Craw also volunteered to accompany Dahr. Against the hundreds of Jem'Hadar likely to be at the colony, it did not seem like much, but they hoped to at least keep the Dominion forces occupied long enough for their ships to call in reinforcements. Ground Campaign ' As soon as Dahr and the others beamed onto the planet, they were nearly overwhelmed by Jem'Hadar. In full retreat, they managed to lose their pursuers in the nearby foothills. Unable to return to their ships or establish communication with any other Starfleet entity, they decided to concentrate on what they had originally come to do; they bunkered in, and began strategizing battle plans. The Epsilon Columbae Campaign, as it came to be known, would last two months. Fighting a multifront war, Starfleet could not assemble a large enough fleet to overcome the blockade the Dominion installed around V456-Eta, and without a way to contact the crews planetside, they were forced to classify them as MIA. Dahr and the ''Starstriker and Demas Craw crews were on their own. They began utilizing guerrilla tactics to immobilize and harass the much larger Dominion force. Their first targets were the communications network and shuttlecraft and landing vehicles. The Dominion next lost large sections of their power grid, and a majority of their slaves; a few days into the campaign, a five man strike team led by Dahr managed to free a number of the colonists, who were all too eager to join them in the fight. '''Compound Hill & the Battle for the ''Starstriker'' For eight weeks, Lieutenant Commander Opon Neran from the Demas Craw, and Dahr, who became the Starstriker's ranking officer on the ground after the death of the Chief of Security in the second week, led raids to sabotage Dominion equipment, steal supplies, and ambush patrols and scouting parties. Without a steady supply of reinforcements, the Jem'Hadar and their Vorta overseers became fatigued and frustrated, enough so that the Starfleet crews were confident a final, direct assault on the Dominion stronghold had a good chance of success. Dahr and a number of her men launched the Battle of Compound Hill under the cover of night, infiltrating and overrunning the guard towers, and then the central security building, opening the gates to allow everyone else inside. As they fought their way from building to building, methodically clearing out the compound, an engineer from the Demas Craw repaired the transmitters and established communication with Starfleet Command. The crews redoubled their effort against the Jem'Hadar when they learned that Starfleet had finally returned for them and was, at that moment, near to defeating the Dominion fleet that had been blockading the planet. Dahr's fireteam found the computer core which housed the stolen security codes, guarded by Jem'Hadar and the Changeling in charge of the Dominion operation. The fireteam destroyed the core before the codes could be retrieved or transmitted, however, during the battle, the Changeling and his soldiers managed to escape the planet. Impersonating Dahr, the Changeling was able to smuggle the Jem'Hadar aboard the Starstriker. The Starstriker''s crew was quick to react when the ruse was uncovered, and they set up choke points in the shuttle bay corridors as they sent a word of warning to Dahr. Dahr and her men repaired one of the Dominion's runabouts and followed after the Changeling, but it was too late; Jem'Hadar had overrun the choke points and were entrenched in key locations throughout the ship, having killed nearly everyone aboard. The remaining crew had little time before the Changeling was able to bypass the lockout and gain access to the ''Starstriker''s systems. Though the shuttle bays were occupied, they were able to beam Dahr and her men into a secure transporter room before retreating to the bridge. Using techniques honed on V456-Eta, Dahr and her men began hunting the Jem'Hadar, utilizing Jefferies tubes and access conduits to flank them quickly and quietly. Ultimately, the Jem'Hadar were no match for the ''Starstriker''s crew; even the Changeling and his First fell to their phasers, though not before breaching the bridge's defenses and killing what few senior officers remained. Dahr took command as Acting Captain, and the ''Starstriker joined the fleet engaged with the last few Dominion ships, disabling an attack ship and aiding in the destruction of two cruisers. Before long, the battle was over, and Starfleet was victorious. Dahr immediately returned to V456-Eta to make certain the remaining Demas Craw and Starstriker crew members were safe, and to aid the colonists in repairing their support and defense systems. The next day, the Starstriker was ordered to report to Earth Spacedock, where her crew received a heroes' welcome. Starfleet promoted Dahr to Lieutenant, awarding her her first Combat Action Ribbon, and the Christopher Pike Medal of Valor. In addition, she was officially transferred command of the Starstriker. She spent the next few weeks poring over personnel files and handpicking new crew members, the first being her friend from the Academy, Tobias Munroe. When the last officer was transferred aboard, Dahr was satisfied that she had the best Escort crew available. Special Operations & the ''Outrider'' Over the course of the next year, the Starstriker and her crew were involved in no less than twenty operations and three major campaigns in the Alpha Quadrant, during which they served as often as not as tactical and logistical support for covert and special operations task forces. In 2403, Dahr began receiving requests to undertake her own special operations missions, for which Command had found she and her crew were especially skilled. In light of her mission success rate, she was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and transferred to the Intelligence Division under the purview of Special Operations Command early in 2404. Due to the sheer number of classified files associated with Dahr, many of which have large sections of information officially redacted, it is rumored that some of Dahr's missions have been sanctioned by Section 31. As yet, there is no evidence to support this allegation, and Dahr will not share her opinion on the matter. Conversely, she is vocal concerning her support of and dedication to the Reman Resistance Movement; in 2405, Dahr came in contact with Obisek, the leader of the Reman resistance, and subsequently spent a majority of the year in direct conflict with the Tal Shiar. To this day, she maintains her relationship with Obisek and lends aid to him and his men as the need arises. Also in 2405, the Starstriker was attached to SOC's 17th Special Operations Wing, and Dahr was given command of the newly-built USS Outrider NCC-93595, a Defiant-class tactical Escort. Though Dahr lost nearly half her crew complement, some of which had served with her since the Epsilon Columbae Campaign, she soon realized that the smaller powerhouse of a ship better suited her command style and the nature of their service objectives. In fact, within months, Dahr and her remaining crew felt more at home aboard the Outrider than they had after serving years aboard the Starstriker. In 2407, the Outrider was refit to comply with the increased demands placed upon her by Special Operations Command. The archetype warhead, controversially considered extraneous by Dahr, was removed, and the forward section remodeled to approximate a Gallant-class saucer. Many of her core systems, including her impulse engines, were replaced with upgraded and experimental technology. Their missions thereafter spoke of SOC's confidence in the Outrider and her crew's abilities; Dahr, now a Captain, enjoyed a level of autonomy she had not had previously. The 17th Special Operations Wing Not long after the Outrider's refit, Dahr followed in the footsteps of the Starstriker and accepted a post in the 17th Special Operations Wing, becoming a part of the 17th Tactical Operations Group, 81st Special Operations Squadron. The 17 SOW is a small, self-contained serial task wing responsible for special and covert operations throughout both Alpha and Beta Quadrants, but concentrating on fringe territories. Dahr transferred in in the wake of a failed operation during which eight ships were lost and four others, including the Starstriker, were severely damaged in battle against a Klingon response force in the Mempa Sector. Personality and Social Interactions : "I'd like to say that, after years of knowing her, I actually know her, but that's not true. I know enough to wish I was more like her, though I think that'd make her sad." : —Dwohada Tguza, CONN Despite the current course of her career, Dahr is, at her core, more scholar than soldier. She is an intensely private person, though she manages to maintain a good relationship with her crew, which she views as her tribe, however archaic the term. When not on the bridge, she can most likely be found in either her Ready Room or her quarters, reading or meditating. As most Betazoids, Dahr appreciates art in all its forms. She is an accomplished musician, playing the piano, Bajorian lute, Ressikan flute, and the violin. Dahr only knows the fundamentals of music theory, however, preferring to learn by ear and compose from memory. She owns a lute given to her as a gift of gratitude by a prominent Bajorian ambassador, and considers it one of her most prized possessions. Classical Betazed and early-20th Century American Jazz are her favorite styles. She is also regarded by some as a master of traditional Betazed dance forms, a claim Dahr herself finds ridiculous: "I seldom dance, and it is rarer still that I do so before an audience." She categorizes her singing voice as only just inoffensive, and though she enjoys sketching still life, she never quite achieved proficiency in painting. She is an avaricious reader, and especially enjoys poetry. Dahr is not particular about what she eats, though she does seem to prefer simpler, hearty meals such as stews and pies. She loves fruit, especially Betazed uttaberries. Occasionally, she allows herself to field a delivery of Delavian chocolate, which she usually shares with Thelan, the Outrider's resident sweet-tooth. She rarely drinks alcohol, preferring herbal teas; her favorite is a mixed-leaf Vulcan spice tea, though she frequently takes her meals with iced deka tea, as well. Dahr views her duty to her ship and Starfleet as paramount. As a result, she seldom takes leave. Her off-duty hours are often spent studying for the multiple correspondence courses she enrolls in throughout the year, reading, meditating, or practicing her instruments. Even when docked, Dahr finds few reasons to leave the ship. The only exception to this is when the Outrider ''is in Sol; Dahr visits with her parents as often as she is able, and makes it a point to spend time with K'Vaak at the Academy. She spent the duration of the ''Outrider's three month long refit in 2407 at her parents' home in San Francisco. It was the longest leave she has taken since joining Starfleet. While she has not returned to Betazed since her move to Earth in 2390, she still considers County Cissara one of her favorite places in the universe. Though not a secret by any means, not many understand the profound sense of responsibility Dahr feels toward her House; she fully expects to return once her career in Starfleet has run its course, and though she has no ambitions in politics and could therefore not care less about the Council or the bureaucracy, she is very interested in serving with the Defense Force. Generally considered a relic of only moderate historical significance, Dahr is nonetheless honored to be Heir to the Third Sacred Tome of Khrysaros. Relationships Family Cyriannala & Bras Dahr Ehran has always maintained an exceptionally close relationship with her parents. While this is generally true of most Betazoids, Ehran's virtual exile as a child only taught her to respect and rely on them more than most. Ehran tries, often unsuccessfully, to visit a few times every year, but is faithful in writing and teleconferencing on a weekly basis if not prevented from communicating due to a mission. She is especially fond of her father, whom she considers her best friend. They were inseparable during Ehran's childhood, a fact that both frustrated and endeared Cyriannala. They still enjoy many of the activities they engaged in during their time in the Loneel Mountains, chess their favorite. As Cyriannala is often called away to care for her own duties, Ehran covets the time she does get to spend with her mother; the Ambassador is, despite Ehran's relationship with her father, her emotional grounding wire. Orin Juric Ehran and her paternal grandfather, Orin, remain in a perpetual time vacuum; whenever they are together, it is as if Ehran is still a child, in the best sense. Orin spoils her with attention and affection, stories and sweets, and in turn, Ehran dotes on him as one can only dote upon her favorite grandparent. On the other hand, Ehran is very much the caretaker of the relationship, and often, Ehran's is the only voice of reason the elder Betazoid will respect and observe. More than once, a family member has had to contact her when Orin has been particularly obstinate about one thing or another. She calls him Pop, which she learned from her human friends on Earth, and in turn, he frequently calls her pi't'sai, which is Vulcan for "little lady." Other Relatives Ehran has two maternal aunts, Annalaria and Daxia, and a wealth of cousins and second cousins still living on Betazed. Circumstance has prevented her from meeting any of them, however, and her correspondence with them has been infrequent and insubstantial. That Ehran has little desire to return to Betazed and take her place in the House anytime soon is a bone of contention between her and her aunts, but they do take great pride in her accomplishments. Friendships Tobias Munroe While Dahr considers her father her best friend, in practice that mantle falls on Tobias Munroe. Munroe and Dahr first met at the Presidio in 2390, where Munroe, then an enlisted petty officer, was recuperating from injuries. It was actually Dahr's visit to the Starfleet hospital and their brief conversation there that inspired Munroe to apply to the Academy. When they met again in 2392, a few weeks into their first year as cadets, they found that the friendship between them was immediate and uncomplicated. Dahr credits Munroe for her success at the Academy, and Munroe has said that Dahr provided him with clarity and purpose. The years following Munroe's graduation in 2396 were difficult for them both. They kept in contact as often as they could, but were assigned to two very different divisions and stationed on opposite ends of the quadrant. It was not until 2403 that they saw one another in person again; Dahr made good on the promise that they had made after Munroe's graduation, that when one of them became the captain of his or her own ship, he or she would offer the other a position as First Officer. Since the transfer, their friendship has only deepened, and while Munroe rightly respects and subordinates himself to Dahr's command as necessary, theirs is more a symbiotic partnership. K'Vaak The circumstances surrounding K'Vaak and Dahr's meeting on Betazed in 2384 remain a mystery to all save K'Vaak. Initially an associate of her father's from his days in Starfleet, K'Vaak became intrigued by her situation, and, as a favor to Bras, agreed to tutor Ehran in meditative and psychosuppressive techniques. It was not long before he found himself intrigued more by Ehran, herself; even though K'Vaak was the first adult other than her parents with which she had spent any significant amount of time, and then the only non-Betazoid, Ehran knew instinctively how to respond to him and his often intimidating persona. She had him wrapped around her finger, as much as one can endear a Vulcan—a state of affairs some say persists to this day. Many years later, K'Vaak was instrumental in Dahr's acceptance at the Starfleet Academy, where he now teaches Special Tactics and Interspecies Ethics. He was impressed by her intellect and invested in her possibility, and agreed to become her advocate. During her time at the Academy, she relied heavily on his support, following his advice without question and, ultimately, trusting him more than she did herself. They never failed one another. K'Vaak remains a strong influence in her life. They visit whenever duty brings Dahr into Sol, and they offer one another aid when and where they can: K'Vaak is registered as the Outrider's special advisor on all matters pertaining to the Romulan Star Empire, and Dahr, despite her aversion to crowds and public speaking, is a frequent guest lecturer in K'Vaak's courses at the Academy. Though their relationship is now one of familial love, Dahr often addresses him as T'Kehr, which is a Vulcan honorific for one's mentor. Suman Ultimately, Suman reminded Dahr of K'Vaak in such a way that it was impossible not to like him. Likewise, as Dahr is so intimately familiar with Vulcan customs and culture, Suman felt a kinship with her almost immediately. They bonded through a shared dry sense of humor, and as they learned more about one another, they realized they had similar tastes in nearly every category they discussed. Over the years, they have come to consider themselves as good as siblings, and Dahr respects his counsel second only to K'Vaak's and Munroe's. Sophine Dahr's comfort with Suman did not initially extend to his sister; Dahr and Sophine were far from the best of friends when Sophine was first stationed on the Starstriker. Sophine resented the irrational feelings Dahr inspired, especially regarding Dahr's relationship with Suman. After experiencing Dahr's competency as captain and general compassion for her crew, however, Sophine developed a grudging respect that blossomed slowly into a tentative friendship. The women's fragile relationship took a hit in 2407, however, when, in an attempt to protect Dahr during a firefight with Breen forces on a mission in the Deferi Sector, Sophine inadvertently caused the women to become separated from the rest of the crew, and Dahr wound up throwing herself in front of a phaser blast meant for the Vulcan. Though Dahr assured Sophine that she did not blame her, Sophine felt responsible for what happened; she believed that if she had been less emotionally invested in Dahr, she could have protected her better. It took months to open a dialogue between them, and longer still for Dahr to convince Sophine that her only mistake had been in second-guessing her ability to protect her captain and crewmates. At present, Dahr's injury still weighs heavy on Sophine, but the women made a commitment to continuously work on their relationship; Dahr is the only person other than her brother who Sophine willingly claims as her friend. Thelan Aszorav Thelan has the unique distinction of being the only Starfleet officer to serve aboard every ship on which Dahr has also served. They met in 2397, during the Oberon's tour of the Hromi Cluster, though they did not become properly acquainted until they transferred onto the Starstriker together. They became friends near the end of the Epsilon Columbae Campaign, when Thelan risked his life to secure a transporter room so that Dahr and her fireteam could beam aboard and rescue the ship from the Dominion. The Andorian lost one of his antennae in the process, and the pair bonded as she oversaw his convalescence. When Dahr was given command of the Outrider in 2405, he threatened to resign his commission if he was not allowed to follow her. She had already had his transfer approved. Raised on Earth by human parents, Thelan's nature is more temperate than most Andorians, which is, admittedly, a boon for Dahr. He remains passionate, and still adheres to a strict code of honor. Family is paramount, and he considers Dahr and the crew of the Outrider, even the Vulcans, his family. This makes him a proverbial wild card, especially in battle; while Dahr is humbled to know that there is very little he would not do for her, she is often forced to pay particular attention to how others treat her, for fear Thelan will take offense on her behalf and say or do something that could facilitate hostilities. In moments of peace, however, Thelan is a quiet confidante, and a loyal friend. They share a contemplative nature, a very real desire to better the universe, and an unhealthy love of chocolate. Romantic Relationships Dantem Opon Neran Tobias Munroe Other Associates Franklin Drake Obisek Medical Records Physical Overview General Characteristics: Dahr is 1.77 meters in height and generally weighs around 65kg. Blood type is AD+. Family History: Parents alive and healthy, with no known medical conditions. Maternal grandparents deceased, casualties of war. Paternal grandmother deceased, natural causes. Paternal grandfather alive and healthy. Conditions (History): Born premature, but healthy. No known medical records prior to joining Starfleet, however physical examinations support personal interviews regarding medical history: Dahr has no discernible congenital defects, suffered no grievous injuries or illnesses, and has received all vaccines both required and recommended since birth. Conditions (Current): Suffers frequently from insomnia and headaches, both attributed to her psionic abilities. These are treated with a combination of medications, herbal supplements, and meditative techniques. Dahr has also suffered since adolescence from a number of symptoms related to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Given the unique nature of her condition, medical personnel are reluctant to classify the foundation of these symptoms as PTSD, but do treat them similarly. Particularly, Dahr is prescribed venlafaxine; distribution is regulated by Counselor Bat Edrid, Ph.D., use is infrequent. Performance: Consistently scores excellent to outstanding during Starfleet Physical Readiness Tests (SPRT). Disproportionate strength to build ratio; force output capabilities exceed race gender standards. Excellent lung capacity and well-developed musculature accommodate intense and/or prolonged physical activity. Visual acuity falls well within acceptable limits; color vision and depth perception are normal. Hearing exceeds Starfleet standards. Dahr has no physical disabilities that would impede or impair the manual firing of weapons, operation of shipboard systems, or any duty implicitly required of Bridge Officers. Distinguishing Characteristics: Scar, 25mm in length, outside corner of the left eye beneath the eyebrow; received during the Epislon Columbae Campaign, Stardate 82003.65. Tattoo, inside right forearm, Vulcan script ("The best way out is always through," American poet Robert Frost); conceals a scar also received during the Epislon Columbae Campaign, Stardate 82138.60. Allergies: None known. Medications and Treatments: alpha-wave inducer (as required); contraception injection (monthly, as mandated by regulations); hydrocortilene (as required); venlafaxine (as required) General Impressions: Dahr is an extremely healthy and physically capable individual, with a strong immune system. Non-smoker, denies and does not present with evidence of alcohol abuse or recreational drug use. Current medical conditions are well-regulated. and submitted for the record by LCDR Suman, M.D. Psychological Profile Highly intelligent and able individual; Dahr possesses a superior generalized intelligence quotient, consistently testing at Exceptionally Gifted in higher cognitive functions (specifically, fluid and spatial-temporal reasoning). Hyperobservant, and capable of cataloging and interpreting vast amounts of even divergent information. Dahr excels at Command Logistics and Special Tactics because she is able to simultaneously direct minute operations details as well as maintain perspective on an overall view of any given situation. This is only an asset to her style of decision-making; incredibly cautious by nature, Dahr is rarely impulsive, especially in regard to decisions affecting those under her command. However, her, at times, unconventional cognitive process tends toward adaptive strategic, and functions at an impressive accelerated rate. Fully self-aware, but also often self-effacing. Dislikes undue attention, and consciously avoids activities or congregations in which she might be singled out in any manner. Large crowds have the added disadvantage of taxing a generally fragile control over her empathic abilities. Conventionally exhibits the Betazoid cultural trait of uninhibited honesty. When under stress, this honesty becomes almost pathologically brutal. That said, her candor has been colored somewhat by her having spent her most formative adolescent years among a vast array of races and cultures on Earth; Dahr has developed a dry humor she employs to derail or deflect conversations she finds uncomfortable, or to safeguard information she considers proprietary. Harbors a mistrust of Ferengi; unsure whether this is due to her inability to read them telepathically, or their rather subjective morality, or, potentially, both. Dahr is generally amicable in their regard, but, as of this date, she refuses to allow Ferengi to serve on her crew. By contrast, Dahr has a marked animosity toward anyone related in any way to the Dominion, especially the Breen, they whom she considers the "brokers of the imperialistic will of an uninspired sort of evil." Aside from these two exceptions, Dahr is a very compassionate individual, concerned with the well-being of those around her. A consummate caretaker, she has the habit of neglecting herself in favor of those for whom she feels responsible, often to her detriment. Her desire to protect and provide, when at odds with an objective or when frustrated by circumstance, can create misemployed anger and, perhaps more grave, episodes of self-loathing derived from a perception of inadequacy. It must also be noted that Dahr suffers from an abatement of self-preservation, and it is, in fact, this desire to protect others that most often protects her. Whether a complex of her empathy, or a manifestation of her aversion to loss and disappointment, Dahr is a resolute introvert. Her inability to connect and foster lasting relationships tends to alienate her from her associates. At best, others could view her as a benevolent but aloof commanding officer. At worst, they may perceive her as apathetic, when the exact opposite is most likely true. Presents with moderate symptoms of a condition similar or related to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, possibly triggered by her transfer to Earth during adolescence, or generated by the continuous struggle afforded by her abilities. These symptoms and the treatment thereof are thoroughly documented and well regulated, according to protocol. In conclusion, even in weighing her deficiencies, Dahr can be considered no less than an unequivocal asset to the Fleet. She is fiercely loyal to her principles, her companions, and the Federation -- a proficient officer, and a more than competent commander. and submitted for the record by LT Bat Edrid, Ph.D. Service Record Service History Commendations Articles of Reprimand